Date of Award
Spring 4-15-2026
Degree Type
Restricted Access Capstone
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
School Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Gina Coffee
Abstract
The visible educational inequities for low-income, English Learners (ELs) is evident across the United States and calls for immediate action. At Foxbridge Elementary, an urban school in the Midwest consisting primarily of low-income and EL students, 26.1% of students currently receive special education services, and the majority of students do not meet grade-level reading and math achievement benchmarks. This action research paper will explore the problem of practice of the overidentification of low-income and EL students within the school’s special education system and explain why addressing this social justice issue through Tier 2 MTSS reading practices is essential for achieving educational equity. Chapter 1 will focus on the school context, outlining current school and district practices and policies. The discussion of key strategic partners will lead into the problem analysis section, which will examine the school’s present facilitators and barriers for change implementation.
Through an in-depth examination of the literature, the paper will discuss how literacy is the cornerstone for academic achievement, highlighting the urgent need to address the reading achievement gap at Foxbridge. Outlining the impact of reading proficiency gaps on low-income and EL student groups as well as the federal and state policies, the discussion will then lead into reading acquisition best practices to support these student groups. Drawing from the science of reading, the integration of the simple view and active view of reading models emphasizes the foundational reading components along with self-regulation skills to meet the needs of bilingual learners. The research calls for the provision of native-language support and narrative-based intervention strategies for EL students within the tiered MTSS system to bridge the research to practice gap. Finally, robust staff professional development practices and family engagement strategies must be implemented in order to obtain long-term reading success for low-income, EL student populations.
Following the literature’s best practices, Chapter 3 will then outline a six-year intervention plan to address the problem of practice at Foxbridge. The plan will focus on the following priority changes: establishing school-wide tier 2 reading interventions through the integration of best practices for low-income, EL students, providing ongoing professional development and intervention coaching to teachers and staff, and engaging families in Tier 2 reading intervention efforts. Finally, in Chapter 4 the author will discuss personal key insights gained throughout this writing process as well as how this project will promote educational equity at Foxbridge Elementary.
Recommended Citation
Fort, A.
(2026).
Addressing the Overidentification of Low-Income, English Learner Students with Special Education Services: MTSS as a Pathway for Equity.
Retrieved from: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_soecap/53
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